Evonik Degussa Gmbh

Degussa Aktiengesellschaft

Degussa - Huls Ag

Stephan Kretz

Hans Joachim Hasselbach

Martin Koerfer

Caspar-Heinrich Finkeldei

Pablo Zacchi

Steffen Krill

Benjamin Fonfe

Dieter Buss

Martin Steurenthaler

Michael R Rinner

Klaus Huthmacher

Christoph Weckbecker

Hubert Redlingshöfer

Wolfgang Boeck

Caspar Heinrich Finkeldei

Harald Jakob

Georg Markowz

Jan-Olaf Barth

Harald Heinzel

Hans-Joachim Hasselbach

Hermann Schmitt

Rainer Hahn

Martin Körfer

Wolfgang Böck

Joachim Hans Hasselbach

Achim Schneider

Volker H&auml;fner

An alkyl mercaptan is prepared by reacting an aliphatic alcohol with hydrogen sulfide in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst at varying temperatures.

Process for the preparation of alkyl mercaptans

A method to produce D,L-Methionine from 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyronitrile by reaction with ammonia, optionally in the presence of carbon dioxide, is provided. The 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyronitrile is obtained by reaction of 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a base as catalyst in a main reaction zone of a multizone reactor. Residual gaseous hydrogen cyanide is removed from the main reaction zone to an absorption and post-reaction zone of the reactor which comprises a mixture of 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde and the catalyst; and the gaseous hydrogen cyanide is further reacted with the 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde in the absorption and post reaction zone. A molar ratio of hydrogen cyanide to 3-(methylthio)propanal in the main reaction zone is from 0.98 to 1.03.

Method for the production of D,L-methionine

A method for the production of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyric acid by hydrolysis of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyronitrile is provided. 3-Methylmercaptopropionaldehyde is reacted with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a base as catalyst in a main reaction zone of the multizone reactor to form a reaction mixture comprising the 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyronitrile, unreacted 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde, the catalyst and residual amounts of gaseous hydrogen cyanide. The residual gaseous hydrogen cyanide is removed from the main reaction zone to an absorption and post-reaction zone of the reactor which comprises a mixture of 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde and the catalyst; and the gaseous hydrogen cyanide is further reacted with the 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde in the absorption and post reaction zone. A molar ratio of hydrogen cyanide to 3-(methylthio)propanal in the main reaction zone is from 0.98 to 1.03.

Method for the production of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyronitrile from 3-(methylthio)propanal and hydrogen cyanide

A process for preparing methylmercaptopropionaldehyde in a single reaction unit, is provided. According to the preferred embodiment, the process comprises, simultaneously contacting a gaseous mixture comprising acrolein with a liquid mixture comprising methylmercaptopropionaldehyde, methyl mercaptan, a catalyst and methylmercaptopropionaldehyde methyl thiohemiacetal in the reactive absorber; absorbing the acrolein from the gaseous mixture into the liquid mixture; reacting the absorbed acrolein with the methyl mercaptan or the methylmercaptopropionaldehyde methyl thiohemiacetal to obtain methylmercapto-propionaldehyde; removing gaseous impurities and by-products from the liquid mixture; and separating the obtained methylmercaptopropionaldehyde product from the reactive absorber, directing a portion of the separated product to storage or further processing and recycling the remaining portion to the reactive absorber; wherein the methyl mercaptan optionally comprises dimethyl sulfide or dimethyl ether.

Process for preparing methylmercaptopropionaldehyde

A method for the production of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyronitrile having good storage stability in a multi-zone reactor, is provided. 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde is reacted with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of a base as catalyst in a main reaction zone of the multizone reactor to form a reaction mixture comprising the 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyronitrile, unreacted 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde, the catalyst and residual amounts of gaseous hydrogen cyanide. The residual gaseous hydrogen cyanide is removed from the main reaction zone to an absorption and post-reaction zone of the reactor which comprises a mixture of 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde and the catalyst; and the gaseous hydrogen cyanide is further reacted with the 3-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde in the absorption and post reaction zone. A molar ratio of hydrogen cyanide to 3-(methylthio)propanal in the main reaction zone is from 0.98 to 1.03.

A storage stable mixture containing 86 to 97% by weight of 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyronitrile, 2 to 14% by weight of water, 0.05 to 0.5% by weight of HCN and having a pH of 1 to 4, measured using a pH electrode at 23&#xb0; C. is provided. A method to produce the storage stable mixture and its use in manufacture of DL-methionine or 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyric acid is also provided.

Storage-stable 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyronitrile

The present invention relates to a process for continuously preparing methyl mercaptan from hydrogen sulphide and methanol in a direct connection with the preparation of hydrogen sulphide.

Process for preparing methyl mercaptan

The invention relates to a reaction vessel in which hydrogen sulphide is prepared from sulphur and hydrogen, wherein the reaction vessel consists partly or entirely of a material which is resistant to the reaction mixture, its compounds or elements and retains its resistance even at high temperatures.

Reaction vessel and process for its use

A process for the preparation of methylheptanone and corresponding homologous methyl ketones involves the cross-aldolization of acetone with the corresponding aldehyde. The polar catalyst phase is introduced with acetone and an organic auxiliary solvent phase to form a two phase mixture in the presence of hydrogen. The corresponding aldehyde is then added at temperatures between 40&deg; C. and 200&deg; C. The process can be run in a continuous manner with the polar catalyst phase being recyled after regeneration. The use of the non-polar auxiliary solvent(s) increase yield and selectivity.

Process for the preparation of 6-methylheptanone

Process for the production of isopropenyl methyl ether

A process for the preparation of 3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexa-3-en-1-one (&bgr;-isophorone) by isomerization of 3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexa-2-en-1-one (&agr;-isophorone) in the liquid phase in the presence of a salt-like or organometallic catalyst. By using catalytic quantities of alkali-metal salts or alkaline-earth salts and/or their organometallic compounds, and without addition of a further auxiliary substance, the space-time yield in the preparation of &bgr;-isophorone is high. &bgr;-Isophorone is particularly suitable as an intermediate product for the preparation of ketoisophorone.

Process for the preparation of 3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexa-3-en-1-one (&bgr;-isophorone) by isomerization of 3,5,5- trimethylcyclohexa-2-en-1-one (&agr;-isophorone)

Process for the production of &agr;-tocopherol acetate in a recycling process by condensation of trimethylhydroquinone diesters and isophytol in the presence of a catalyst system consisting of a zinc halide and of an aqueous protonic acid and optionally of an elemental metal in a polar solvent/water mixture which is extractable or miscible with water and subsequent recycling of the catalyst system.

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Biebergemuend, Germany

Stephan Kretz